Talking to Yourself
by ColeMight
Summary: Oh clever him! This was the night he talked to the stranger- the one in the Bowtie!


Talking to Yourself

Declaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of its characters.

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It was late- pushing three in the morning at least- he should leave. He should really, _really_, leave (for more reasons than just the time.) But he couldn't bring himself to do so, because if he did there was no way in knowing when (or _if_, for that matter) he would ever be this close to her again. The Doctor sat on a stool in a small corner pub, mesmerized by the pink and yellow human sitting only a few meters away. She had walked in nearly an hour ago, causing both his hearts to skip a beat.

What was he supposed to do? Walk up and talk to her? _'Oh hey there, Rose, long time no see' _No, no that was all wrong. He couldn't possibly just go to her. 1) There was a great chance that they haven't even met yet- made clear by the fact she looked rather young from him remembering her (and that she seemed to be comfortably planted on Mr. Mickey's lap.) And 2) If they had met, she most definitely hasn't seen this current form of his. So he resigned himself to just sit, trying his best to nonchalantly watch her from the corner of his eye.

"Doctor!" His ears perked at the sound of him name on her lips and a surge of hope coursed through his system. Said hopes, however, were quickly quieted as he saw none other than himself walk through the door. All pinstripes and red trainers… and hair. He had a kind of melancholy look on his face as he held a letter in his hand. Ah, this must've been the night right after France. When he- oh, OH! When he spoke to the stranger at the bar- the one who seemed to know exactly what to say. The one in the BOW TIE. It took a great deal of energy not to let out a hearty laugh at that moment. Oh clever him. Pinstripe though there was something about that stranger and there was- he was talking, and getting advice, from _himself_! A smile graced the Doctor's face as his younger self walked to the stool beside him and sat with a rather heavy sigh.

"Long night, mate?" Pinstripes looked from his folded hands and huffed out a half laugh.

"You could say that," the Doctor watched as his former hand went to the nape of his neck, grasping at the hair there. "Long life really, too much death. Well, I say death, not meaning me nope-"the popping of the 'p' almost made his 11 regeneration laugh in remembrance. He used to love to do that. "Other people, never me, I just _change_…" _You could say that again._ 11 thought. Brown eyes met blue, "sorry, I don't think you'll understand."

"Try me." Thoughts raced past the younger Doctor's face. Bowtie no exactly what they were, Rennet-Death. Why was this stranger so familiar? He _could_ tell him everything and he wouldn't get it (in fact he'd probably end up sounding like a bloody loon!) He should get back to Rose. But why would Rose want him? He practically abandoned her with Mickey. Whom she is currently sitting on. That shouldn't make him jealous, but it does. "What's her name?"" the elder him asked while taking another sip of the drink he'd been nursing for about an hour now.

"Rose," Pinstripes looked back to their pink and yellow human, slightly angry at her current position, but still enthralled with the way she was laughing at some joke that was just told.

"What did you do?" that seemed to offend him, no, wait- not seemed, he distinctly remembers being offended by that comment. Like here's this _human_ who just met him and he's making assumptions that he has done something wrong! Except that he wasn't human and he knew full well that the man- himself- did do something wrong.

"What makes you think I did anything?" Bowtie merely looked back at the girl behind them for his answer. Ï just tried to help a friend-"he pulled at the hair on the back of his neck once again, stretching slightly. Then stopped movement altogether when a though hit him. "-I shouldn't have left her … But if I didn't history would have been mucked up by those bloody things." He'd obviously switched to talking more to himself then his current company. (which Bowtie found kind of ironic)

"Did you leave her on purpose?"

"NO, of course not! I mean- its Rose- and she- Well-" his ramblings were cut short by the blonde in question walking up to join them. "Rose!" His demeanor changed to on just a bit too cheery.

"Doctor," she gave him a questioning look. She could always tell when he was trying to hide something. "Whose y'r friend?"

"He's- You know I didn't catch your name…" Any other time he would have said John Smith without a second thought, but not with these two, oh no, if he didn't see right through it, Rose definitely would. "Sean." The Doctor held out a friendly hand to Rose with a goofy grin. It had been so long since they held hands…. This, though not as intimate was going to be just what he needed. She always calmed his nerves with she simple touches. She took it, (igniting more than calming but he couldn't complain) with a suspicious line forming on her brow.

"Nice to meet ya', mate. I'm Rose." Oh he knew! She was Rose Tyler, the Valiant Child, Defender of the Earth, Their (_HIS_) Rose. "Doctor," she turned to the thin man, "Mickey and me are heading over to mum's. Wanna join?" He visibly cringed, causing the most delightful giggle out of the blonde. "Didn't think so," her tongue peeked through white teeth, "we'll be back in about an hour. See y'around Sean." And with one last touch of Bowtie's shoulder she was gone.

"You should go with her." 11 spoke trying to ignore not only the ringing in his ears from her laugh, but the tingling sensation that made itself present on the spot she patted as she left.

"You haven't met her mother!" _Yes I have, and I've been slapped by her twice. You should still go with her! _

"Look mate," The elder man turned fully to his younger self, "I might not know you very well,"(huh, yeah right!) "But as I see it you've got two options… You could either sit here with me, complaining the nigh away and worrying just what she might be doing with that other bloke,"which he had already started doing. "Or you could go after her, join her, stay by her side." 10 stared wide eyed at the other man's speech. "You shouldn't waste your time…"

There was a moment of silence, the younger Doctor slowly nodding as he worked his way through the options just given to him. "You're right."_Of course I'm right you git! _"I'll go join them,"he got up from his stool and straightened his jacket, "Thank you."

"You better run,"11 smiled at the confused, almost recognizing expression on his previous face, "to catch up." And then he was alone once more. "Run…" He downed the rest of his drink and left the pub- it was about time to pick up the Pond's once more. He's starting to miss them again…. If he gets the timing right, he should hit their anniversary.

"Better get a plant."


End file.
